The Topkapı Palace is a large museum in the east of the Fatih district of Istanbul in Turkey. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it served as the main residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans. *Topkapi Palace is closed every Tuesday. The Basilica Cistern will be visited instead of Topkapi Palace only on Tuesdays.
Hagia Sophia is a Late Antique place of worship in Istanbul, designed by the Greek geometers Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. Built-in 537 as the patriarchal cathedral of the imperial capital of Constantinople, it was the largest Christian church of the eastern Roman Empire (the Byzantine Empire) and the Eastern Orthodox Church, except during the Latin Empire from 1204 to 1261, when it became the city's Latin Catholic cathedral. In 1453, after the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire, it was converted into a mosque. In 1935, the secular Turkish Republic established it as a museum. In 2020, it re-opened as a mosque. It's visited outside, if you would like to visit inside, please ask your guide to help to buy the tickets.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque also known as the Blue Mosque is an Ottoman-era historical imperial mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. A functioning mosque also attracts large numbers of tourist visitors. It was constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. Its Külliye contains Ahmed's tomb, a madrasah, and a hospice.
Hippodrome of Constantinople is a square in Istanbul, Turkey. Previously, it was a circus that was the sporting and social center of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.
The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops on a total area of 30,700 m2, attracting between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. In 2014, it was listed No.1 among the world's most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is often regarded as one of the first shopping malls in the world.
we will have time for lunch. lunch is excluded.
Kemal Aslan was an excellent guide. He made everything effortless and interesting. Kemal asked us the things that interested us and modeled the tour around our interests. He has a wealth of historical knowledge and shared very insightful details during our tour. He also provided us great incite into local shops, dining, and geography. We would recommend Kemal highly!
Kemal gave us an outstanding tour of Istanbul. He shared fascinating information about each of the sites we visited and thoughtfully organized the itinerary so that we could also enjoy a delicious Turkish lunch and have time for shopping. His shopping recommendations were especially helpful, and throughout the tour he always prioritized the safety and comfort of my family. We traveled with my aunt, who has limited mobility, and Kemal went above and beyond to ensure that she was able to fully enjoy the experience alongside us. We highly recommend Kemal to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, professional, and caring guide in Istanbul. We would also like to thank Gonenc from Smart Turkey Tours for arranging our tour. He was extremely responsive and accommodating to our requests from start to finish. Smart Turkey Tours provided exceptional service, and we are very grateful for such a wonderful experience. Thank you!
Kemal Aslan led our tour of Istanbul with exceptional care and professionalism, making the experience both memorable and comfortable for everyone. As we explored iconic sites like Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Basilica Cistern, his deep knowledge and engaging storytelling brought the city’s rich history to life in a captivating way. What made Kemal truly outstanding, however, was his attentiveness and compassion. I have reduced mobility, and he was incredibly sensitive to this throughout the tour. He made thoughtful adjustments without drawing unnecessary attention, ensured I had time and space to move comfortably, and constantly checked in with genuine care. His awareness and consideration made me feel fully included and at ease, which meant a great deal. Beyond that, Kemal’s warm personality, clear explanations, and ability to connect created a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. He balanced historical insight with practical guidance and personal touches, making the tour both informative and human. Thanks to Kemal, our experience of Istanbul was not only fascinating but also accessible and deeply enjoyable. His kindness, knowledge base and professionalism set him apart as a truly superb tour guide
Our guide, Orhan, was great! Not only did we get to see all of the sites and learn a LOT (Orhan is a wealth of knowledge!), but when my husband’s previous injury reemerged, Orhan did all he could to make the both of us comfortable. Orhan adjusted the schedule with ease, still showed and taught us a lot, AND got us safely back to the cruise port with directions to a nearby pharmacy. We will definitely ask for Orhan again next time we’re in Istanbul! Admission to all sites was included in the 6+ hour tour.
Our tour guide, Kemal Aslan was AMAZING!! He took such great care of us. Sharing his knowledge about the historical sites he made it fun and educational. Attentive to all our needs, he made sure we were enjoying our time and finding ways to add to our tour... shopping, coffee, bathroom stops, etc, everything was easy breezy. We had an incredible time in Istanbul. Turkish hospitality is world class. Thank youuu!! Highly recommend!!!
Private tour with Deníz Varli. Everything exact from start to finish. He confirmed time/place prior day (ncluded photo of meeting place). You can choose transport both ways or “tram” it. Deníz extremely knowledgeable. Speaks several languages. Fulfilled my agenda and added special interest points including best places for food! He was amenable to starting early as I had hoped. Deníz has a very neutral, yet encompassing nature. My interest was historical but, we also talked about world events freely, sans judgement. Highly recommend “skip the line” tickets and starting out early,,,,that is, unless you adore crowds. You can essentially request certain hour lengths. It’s all about communication. This company will go to extra lengths to make trip as you like it.
We had a wonderful day with Denis, our tour guide! We saw such beautiful sites here in the Sultanahmet area of Istanbul. And just as important, we learned so much about Turkey, it's history, it's people, and the culture. We highly recommend this tour and this tour guide, Denis.
Kemal Aslan was our private guide, arranged by Smart Turkey Tours. He showed us around the Old City, including Koptapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque, with expert efficiency; he had all admission tickets at the ready, and made sure all our needs were met comfortably. He was extremely knowledgeable and informative. We gladly learned a lot of interesting historical facts about the old city. He also provided interesting conversations about so many other topics. He made our day so enjoyable and memorable.
Our tour Guide was EXCELLENT! He was very knowledgeable, gave lot of details, showed everything to us at a good pace. He took care of us like family, took lot of photos for us, and made sure we were safe at all times. The tour car drive person was also very hospitable.
We had a wonderful day tour with Kemal. He was very knowledgeable, patient and made the day enjoyable for our family. Thank you Kemal for a great experience!! We would highly recommend Kemal for anyone looking for a kind and knowledgeable tour guide!
We had a great time on our tours through Istanbul. Smart Turkey Tours provided us with a personal guide named ŞUAYUP TORAMAN. For simplicity, he had us call him Jethro. Our excursion began on a rainy morning, and Jethro moved things around to maximize our indoor time during the rain and outdoor time when the weather improved in the afternoon. His area knowledge was amazing and his kindness and humor were spot on.
I can not say enough wonderful things about this experience. Our private guide Kardelen was outstanding! She shared her love for her country, and her lively and engaging personality truly made our 2 days in Istanbul special. We will never forget it! And we won’t forget her!! We cant wait to return. She had suggestions for stops we didn’t have listed and customized our days perfectly to our desires. She took us to out of the way places to eat that were delicious and less expensive than the main tourist restaurants. We had so much fun!! Words can not do my review justice. This was a 10 star experience!
What a wonderful day!!! Berkin was a first class tour guide! He kept us on track and ensured we did all of the unique Turkish experiences, from visiting religious sites to shopping in the spice and Grand Bazaar….and shopping for Turkish rugs, delights, pottery and tea! Our driver was also amazing and knew the city so well! Would definitely recommend Berkin to anyone wanting to get the full Istanbul experience!!
Berkin was SUPER GREAT!!! He was nice, patient answering everything, and giving super good advices. He connected with people so easily! I recommend him if you go to Istanbul!
Our guide Okan was very friendly. He was able to answer all our queries in the historical aspects. The most interesting places were at Hagia Sofia and Topkapi palace. Lunch places were good with fish at Kadikoy. Prepaid entrance fees help with avoiding long queues.
The tour guide, Berkin, was well informed and detailed with his explanations. Offered to take photos of me. Was very friendly and answered any questions I had! Was very pleasant company and helped me understand the sites and Turkish culture. 10/10 would recommend him as a guide.
It was a great experience travelling with this agency. The guide was so friendly, kind and had a lot of patience with us. We are always thankful for it. Tour guide explained our visits very well and made us understand the Turk’s culture and old and new lifestyle very well. We had a blast on trying variety of Turkish’s food and it was DELICIOUSS. They brought us to the best local restaurants and we tried mouth watering delights. Travel guide shared some tips to be safe in turkey and really did their best to full fill our comfort. Conclusion, yall shud really choose this travel agency if you’re going for a vacation to Turkey as they serve the BEST!!!! Really worth it!🔥🔥
Metin was very helpful and available to resolve all our queries with patience. We had a great experience in the wonderful country
This was a wonderful tour. Our guide, Perihan, was very knowledgable and friendly. She managed our time perfectly. Our cruise asked us to be at the ship at 5PM, when we were supposed to stay until late because the ship would stay overnight. We moved around in the Tram (which is great BTW) and saw all the sites we had planned for the day. The next day we started early and finished visiting every spot we had planned. This is our second tour with Smart Turkey Tours and I highly recommend them.
This group is just such a pleasure to deal with. We had 22 people and they made traveling from Istanbul, to Bodrum & Ephesus just effortless. Metin & team were so responsive, knowledgeable & reasonable on price. The tour guides offered private, detailed experiences. The transfers were very comfortable and high-end. Every detail was attended to, and they always checked in to ensure it was to our liking. HIGHLY recommend this great local outfit!
Kenan was an excellent guide with vast knowledge of the history and particulars of the various areas of the city. His knowledge of the local area resulted in us taking the tram instead of buses that needed to take a longer route due to road repairs. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour
Yeliz was the best. Her service was outstanding: She made us feel safe and secure as it was a girls trip She made our Turkey trip the best trip I have ever had. Totally recommend her. Prompt response and efficient:
We had a great two days with Nese as our guide. She was very knowledgeable, gave us loads of history, really listened to what we wanted to see, do, and even eat, and made the whole tour easy to enjoy. The company was also very responsive to Whatsapp messages. We highly recommend them to anyone that would like to see Istanbul.
We had a wonderful time and everything went so smoothly. Nese who was our guide was so interesting. Her knowledge of all we saw added so much to our trip. She went well above and beyond all we could have wanted and was a delight to get to know. Definitely ask for Nese personally.
Fantastic experience in Cappadocia and Istanbul. Smart Turkey tours were great right from the initial planning through to our tour here on the ground. Metin is an excellent communicator and helped us select the right itinerary for us. Our guides were excellent. Couldn’t recommend Mrs Neşe highly enough. Not only was she so knowledgeable about everything we saw, she also went above and beyond in what she showed us and where we went. Her discussions about Turkey were fascinating and we so enjoyed her company, such a lovely person. If you want to have a reliable and excellent tour in Turkey, we recommend Smart Turkey Tours!
We were delighted to have Smart Turkey Tours recommended to us by friends. Our tour guide, Sayoup was friendly, efficient and co-operative, looking after all our requirements for the duration of the 3 days we spent with him. He is extremely experienced and knowledgeable and a pleasure to be guided by. The transportation was good quality, always on time. Cannot recommend this company highly enough.
Came here with my family for the first time and we loved Smart Turkey! We had Nese and she is THE BEST!!!! She showed us all of the best places that only locals would know and she is so insightful and helpful for EVERYTHING! Would recommend to anyone visiting and request Nese! She is now family
We had a two day tour with Hale which was fabulous. We were met at our hotel on both days. The first day for a walking tour which was a great way to see the Old City. From start to finish she was incredibly knowledgable and kept us informed with history of the city. Our second day was less walking and again there was no question that Hale was not able to answer! We would highly recommend Hale and Smart Turkey Tours. They were very responsive with enquiries before booking and kept us informed in the days before the tour.
Excellent service. Very well organized, great coordination and follow up, even on days without tour guide. Sent in advance the pictures of drivers, tour guide and cars. Awesome tour guide (nickname Siri). Additionally, they saved for 18 months a deposit we had paid in 2019, when we could not travel due to COVID.
It was a wonderful visit where our guide Berkin explained wonderfully and with fantastic treatment, we learned a lot from the culture and history of Turkey, we will come back with more time to learn more. THANK YOU again to Berkin for everything.
Very good tour, Berkin our guide, very friendly and attentive, with enough knowledge in the history and details of the places visited, recommended 100%!!!
A tour of 10 thanks to our wonderful guide Berkin. Clear and very interesting explanations. Even if it seems like many hours, it doesn't get long at all! Istanbul is a beautiful city with a lot of history. Thank you Berkin for your explanations and recommendations. It's been a pleasure having you as a guide.
It was a fantastic two days in Istanbul! Thanks to our agent Mr. Bahadir who was very attentive in the entire management from transportation to the tours. Thanks to our guide Mr. Tolga very charismatic! . It was a very beautiful walk, Istanbul is a very beautiful city, I was dazzled by the castles. Definitely if I return, I would contact them again.
The guide's explanations were very pleasant, and allowed us to make more use of our time so we could enjoy the tour more. I recommend always using this form to make the most of the day as there is so much to see and do in Istanbul!!!!
Istanbul 2 days. Oludeniz 5 days Extraordinary attention, concern, knowing how to be. Excellent guides. First level hotels, without the Oludeniz a real luxury You cannot come to Turkey and not hire Turkey Tour, with the attention, exquisite and personalized, of Mustafa. We will return (for the 3rd time) to this wonderful country.
We toured in Turkey and Greece, everything spotless, every detail, a pleasure to travel with them, highly recommended
Your punctuality and treatment. Very interesting your explanations in perfect Spanish. Highly recommended to close eye
Our first time to Istanbul and it has been magical, the whole team of the agency gets you to feel safe and enjoy without worry the whole stay Marta the operator was watching all the time how we were and our guide Deniz has been a ten , both his way of approaching us to his traditions, his kindness , fulfilling our dreams, we will return to Istanbul and undoubtedly again we will put ourselves in your hands without hesitation, thank you very much.
Amazing super happy!! This tour and stay here has been amazing for the good vibe, friendliness, information and treatment of rosita and Mustafa. Rosita is a fabulous, knowledgeable, funny and assembling guide. Rosita, you're the best. Thanks for everything and I'll see you again. All the hotels we went, typical meals of each place we visited chosen by them were fabulous. I'll go back and do everything with them. Thank you so much for this amazing trip.
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